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10 Cheap Used 4x4 Vehicles

Cheap used 4x4 vehicles offer you the opportunity to get dirty, have some fun, and not worry too much about scratching up the paint (or tearing off a fender) during a weekend excursion. Adventurous off-road driving requires a reliable rig that's capable of taking abuse and finding every last ounce of traction available before you have to roll out the winch to get yourself out of trouble. Fortunately, there are plenty of cheap 4x4 trucks and SUVs out there on the used market that can help you scratch your off-road itch without busting your budget.

Let's take a quick look at 10 of the best cheap used 4x4 vehicles money can buy.

1. Jeep Wrangler

Is there really any other option to lead this list of cheap used 4x4 vehicles? The Jeep Wrangler is an icon for a reason, and it's one of the few SUVs from the modern era that still offers a solid front axle for the ultimate in off-road strength and articulation. Stick with the standard Wrangler's short wheelbase for better maneuverability on the trail, and see if you can find a model that offers ultra-low-range four-wheel drive gearing (like the Rubicon edition) if you plan on getting serious. The one major drawback of inexpensive used Wranglers are their engines: you only get 190 horsepower out of older models, which come with a 4.0-liter inline six-cylinder unit up front.

2. Land Rover Range Rover

We know what you're thinking: an inexpensive Land Rover? That's the way it shakes out on the used 4x4 circuit, where concerns about reliability combined with the inevitable depreciation associated with all luxury rides hits the Land Rover Range Rover hard. If you're willing to take the risk, go back to the era between 2002 and 2005 to maximize value, as many of these SUVs can be hard for small dollars - especially from owners sick of making repairs. The 4.4-liter V-8 that comes standard with this stretch of Range Rover production offers just under 300 horsepower, and full-time four-wheel drive is included with all models.

3. Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road

The Toyota Tacoma is a mid-size pickup that holds its value very well on the used market, and this is especially true of the TRD Off-Road edition, which is the one to target for trail shenanigans. Still, compared to newer rigs the Tacoma TRD Off-Road is a cheaper alternative, which makes it a good starting point if reliability and versatility are important to you in a 4x4 vehicle. Search out a Tacoma with the optional 4.0-liter V-6 and you'll enjoy 236 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque to go with the truck's low-range four-wheel drive (there's also a six-speed manual transmission available with this motor).

4. Ford Ranger

The Ford Ranger never really got its props as a 4x4, but there's no denying that this cheap used truck can deliver the kind of traction you need to deal with snow, ice, and mud. The ten years of Rangers built between 2001 and 2011 are pretty much all identical from a mechanical perspective, with the only difference being that the optional 3.0-liter V-6 was replaced with a more robust 207 horsepower, 4.0-liter V-6 in 2009. A 2.3-liter four-cylinder base motor was standard throughout the product run, and in later models produced as much as 143 horsepower. Like the Tacoma, you can find extended cab body styles, but unlike the Tacoma there's no crew cab option. The Ranger is also a true compact truck, so keep that in mind if you need this to be a daily driver, too.

5. Jeep Cherokee

The Jeep Cherokee we're interested in on this list of cheap used 4x4 vehicles barely squeaks onto this list, as it stopped production in 2001. The square-bodied compact Jeep Cherokee has developed a reputation for being hard to kill, making it the Steven Seagal of off-road SUVs. It's also very basic in terms of amenities, although it does offer unibody construction and the choice between two-door and four-door models along with its indestructible, 190 horsepower 4.0-liter straight-six engine (shared with the Wrangler), make it an appealing option as a low-buck four-wheel drive SUV.

6. Nissan Frontier NISMO Off-Road

The Nissan Frontier NISMO Off-Road is the lesser-known rival to the Tacoma TRD Off-Road, which helps to keep it cheaper as a used 4x4. Looking specifically at the pre-2009 trucks that featured the NISMO Off-Road package (before it was renamed PRO-4X), you'll best enjoy a truck that offers the 170 horsepower, 3.0-liter V-6 engine rather than the 143 horsepower four-cylinder. Crew, extended, and regular cab editions of the Nissan Frontier are out there, with the NISMO Off-Road package offering tweaked styling and useful features such as tow hooks and skid plates.

7. Suzuki Grand Vitara

Wait, what? Yes - the Suzuki Grand Vitara was more than just an affordable people mover, it was also a sneaky unibody-plus-ladder-frame SUV that has dipped in price enough to be considered a viable cheap used 4x4 vehicle. The Grand Vitara disappeared from the American market in 2013, but you'll want to look for an older model in any case to maximize value. Certain four-wheel drive editions offer low-range gearing, which works together with a 155 horsepower, 2.5-liter V-6 motor when the going gets rough (or a 2.7-liter, 185 horsepower V-6 from 2006-2009). Four-door convenience is standard with the Suzuki suv.

8. Toyota FJ Cruiser

The Toyota FJ Cruiser was originally intended to match retro styling with a healthy dollop of off-road capability, and enough years have passed since this two-door (plus two half-doors in the back) SUV first hit the scene 2007 that prices have conspired to make it a cheap used 4x4 option. Every single FJ Cruiser comes with the same 4.0-liter engine, although it eventually increased in power from 239 horses to 260. Four-wheel drive isn't standard with the Toyota: you'll want to look for a model that features a full-time system, as that's the one with a locking rear differential that performs best in the mud and the muck.

9. Jeep Patriot

The Jeep Patriot was an attempt by the off-road brand to replace the Cherokee, and while it's not quite the same formula from a platform perspective, certain versions of the Patriot qualify as a cheap used 4x4 worth looking into. The 2007-2010 Jeep Patriot has to be paired with the Freedom Drive II four-wheel drive system to gain low-range capability, and to gain this feature you also need to make sure that the SUV you are looking at has a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine (good for 172 horsepower). That's a lot of conditions to fulfill, but that's the price you'll have to pay for a satisfying four-wheel drive experience in a Patriot.

10. Nissan Xterra PRO-4X

The Nissan Xterra is another small SUV that's worth a look as a cheap used 4x4 vehicle, especially the second-generation model that debuted in 2005. That's the year the Xterra gained a 261 horsepower, 4.0-liter V-6 as its only engine option, along with the PRO-4X off-road package that ruggedizes much of the Nissan's chassis and adds standard low-range four-wheel drive. Compared to the similar FJ Cruiser, the Xterra is easier to live with on a daily basis in terms of ride comfort, which could tilt the balance when evaluating which of these four-wheel drive trucks to pursue.